Dent Lauded For Law Requiring Rent During Appeal Of Eviction Landlord Assoc. Of Pa. Praises Representative For Legislation That Might Receive Go-ahead Today.

February 28, 1996|by GAY ELWELL, The Morning Call

His efforts to make it easier to evict bad tenants have earned State Rep. Charles Dent honors from an organization representing landlords' interests.

Mark Mitman of The Landlord Association of Pennsylvania yesterday recognized the 132nd District Republican for his work on Act 33, which requires tenants to pay rent into a court-held escrow account while they appeal eviction orders. Dent also backed changes in the landlord-tenant law that accelerate the eviction process from 90 to 55 days.

Because its provisions conflict with rules of procedure for district justices, who handle most landlord-tenant matters, the law was suspended in October by the state Supreme Court. The court and the committee that creates rules for the state's minor judiciary have been reviewing the conflicts. Dent said a decision should come by today on whether the legislation should go into effect.

Dent has promoted the proposed changes -- the first in nearly 20 years -- as restoring balance to the legal relationship between landlords and tenants. In the past, landlords have complained that system-savvy tenants could use the law to live rent-free while pursuing lengthy appeals of eviction orders.

That meant landlords -- especially small-scale "mom and pop" operators -- were faced with trying to meet mortgage, tax and utility expenses with no money coming in, said Mitman. His organization aids its members in avoiding such problems by providing them with credit and eviction reports on potential tenants.

Tenants who don't pay rent and legally fight eviction lead to the blight and decay of buildings whose owners can't afford to keep them in repair, Dent has said.

Alan Jennings of the Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley agreed with Mitman and Dent that good landlords are an important resource. The organization, vocal in its attacks on slumlords, didn't fight the legislative changes because "In general, we're very sympathetic to the plight of the average landlord trying to make a legal buck.

"There's no question there are some completely irresponsible tenants," he said. And costs associated with them aren't borne just by the landlord: Units are allowed to deteriorate or other rents rise when owners don't get paid.

And the fact that good tenants are a landlord's best asset helps somewhat to alleviate his worries that innocent tenants might be hurt by the proposed changes, Jennings said.